Submitted by Petr Vesely on
Founded 9-Jul-2006
Last update 4-Jan-2014
Silver coin Bronze coins References
Identification Number A03-AR-01
| Mint: | “Rose” mint (northern Mesopotamia, perhaps Edessa1) | |
| Period: | c. 213 - c. 205 BC | |
| Denomination: | AR Tetradrachm | |
| Weight: | 16.91 g | |
| Diameter: | 25 - 27 mm | |
| Obverse: | Diademed head of Antiochos III right; dotted border | |
| Reverse: | ‘[Β]ΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ’ right, ‘ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ’ left (“of King Antiochos”); nude Apollo seated left on omphalos2, holding arrow in outstretched right hand and resting left hand on bow; monogram in outer left field | |
| Die axis: | c. -15º | |
| References: | Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 1121.1 (this coin plated); Houghton, CSE, 1052 (this coin); Newell, ESM, 392 (same obverse die); Classical Numismatic Group, Inc., Triton X (January 9, 2007), Lot 394 (same obverse die) | |
| Notes: | (1) | Antiochos III’s coins attributed to the so called “Rose” mint include one series of gold staters (royal portrait / elephant; SC I, 1120), two series of silver tetradrachms (royal portrait / Apollo seated on omphalos; SC I, 1121 and 1122) and three series of bronze coins (head of Antiochos III as Apollo / Artemis huntress; SC I, 1123, 1124 and 1125). The mint received its name from some issues of silver tetradrachms which have a Rose symbol in the outer left field of the reverse (SC I, 1121.2 and 1122.1).3 For a discussion of the location of this mint and of the period of its activity, see Houghton and Lorber, SC I, Volume I, pp. 424 - 425. |
| (2) | Although all tetradrachm issues of the “Rose” mint are described without a reverse border in SC I, the coin sold by Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. (Triton X, Lot 394) has a dotted border on both sides. The published examples probably have somewhat shorter flans so that this issue was not fully described in SC I and in the other cited references. However, it is also possible that the CNG coin is a new variant of this issue. | |
Cited coins:
Classical Numismatic Group, Inc., Triton X, Lot 394
| Mint: | “Rose” mint (northern Mesopotamia, perhaps Edessa) |
| Period: | c. 213 - c. 205 BC |
| Denomination: | AR Tetradrachm |
| Weight: | 17.11 g |
| Diameter: | 27 mm |
| Obverse: | Diademed head of Antiochos III right; dotted border |
| Reverse: | ‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ’ right, ‘ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ’ left (“of King Antiochos”); nude Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding arrow in outstretched right hand and resting left hand on bow; monogram in outer left field; dotted border |
| Die axis: | 0º |
| References: | Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 1121.1 (same obverse die); Houghton, CSE, 1052 (same obverse die); Newell, ESM, 392 (same obverse die) |
| Note: | This coin might be important for the study of the “Rose” mint because tetradrachms from this mint are described without a reverse border in the cited references. |
| Source: | Photo courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. – Triton X (January 9, 2007), Lot 394 (Ex Pars Coins, Parviz Ahghari – fixed price list 2006, stock No. PCW-G816) |
Identification Number A03-AE-01
| Mint: | Antioch on the Orontes4 | |
| Period: | c. 223 - 209/8 BC | |
| Denomination: | AE Quadruple Unit | |
| Weight: | 12.40 g | |
| Diameter: | 24 mm | |
| Obverse: | Laureate head right of Antiochos III as Apollo; dotted border | |
| Reverse: | ‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ’ right, ‘[Α]ΝΤΙΟΧ[ΟΥ]’ left (“of King Antiochos”); nude Apollo, slight drapery on right thigh, seated left on omphalos2, holding arrow in outstretched right hand and resting left hand on bow; control in outer left field, if any, off flan | |
| Die axis: | 0º | |
| References: | Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 1048 and 1054; Newell, WSM, 1054, 1057, 1060, 1062, 1076, 1078, 1080 and 1081; Houghton, CSE, 68; SNG Spaer, 561-562; BMC 4, p. 28, Nos. 49-50 (Plate IX, 9); Hunterian Coll. III, p. 35, No. 40 | |
| Notes: | (1) | Antiochene coinage of Antiochos III is divided into four series, see Houghton and Lorber, SC I, Vol. I, pp 394 ff. This coin type belongs to Series 1 or 2 which were minted in the periods c. 223 - 211/10 BC and 211/10 - 209/8 BC, respectively (ibid, 1048 and 1054). These two series are distinguished by control marks in the outer left field which is off flan on this coin. |
| (2) | Similar bronze coins of the same denomination with a diademed portrait of Antiochos III on the obverse were minted in Ekbatana (ibid, 1237 and 1247) and in an unattributed eastern mint (ibid, 1285). | |
Identification Number A03-AE-03
| Mint: | uncertain mint in Southern Syria |
| Period: | c. 202/1 BC |
| Denomination: | AE Double Unit |
| Weight: | 8.44 g | |
| Diameter: | 19 mm | |
| Obverse: | Laureate head right of Antiochos III as Apollo; dotted border | |
| Reverse: | ‘[Β]ΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ’ above, ‘ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ’ below (“of King Antiochos”); elephant right, ridden by mahout; tripod left; countermark (horse head right in rectangular punch) under elephant’s belly; dotted border | |
| Die axis: | 0º | |
| References: | Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 1084e; SNG Spaer, 822-825; Newell, ESM, 656 var. (anchor countermark above elephant) | |
| Notes: | (1) | Coins of this type often have another countermark of an anchor in a rectangular punch above the elephant. |
| (2) | The issue of these coins was followed by similar coins of the same denomination (Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 1085 and 1086) which have a mintmark of a horse head under the elephant’s belly instead of the horse head countermark. The type No. 1085 has a tripod on the left beside the elephant, the type No. 1086 has an anchor in this position. There are also two smaller denominations (Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 1087 and 1088) which are without control marks. | |
| (3) | The mint and dating of these issues is uncertain. According to Houghton and Lorber, ibid, pp. 411-412, it is possible that coins of the category No. 1084 were issued by a military mint travelling with the Seleukid army during the first phase of the Fifth Syrian War (202 - 195 BC). This military issue was followed by issues Nos. 1085 and 1086 in c. 200 BC or later produced by a regular mint, and the coins previously struck by the military mint were countermarked. See Houghton and Lorber, ibid, pp. 411-412, for the detailed discussion. | |
Identification Number A03-AE-02
| Mint: | Ekbatana5 | |
| Period: | 223 - 187 BC | |
| Denomination: | AE Double Unit | |
| Weight: | 7.36 g | |
| Diameter: | 18 mm | |
| Obverse: | Diademed head of Antiochos III right; dotted border (off flan) | |
| Reverse: | ‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ’ above, ‘[Α]ΝΤΙ[ΟΧΟΥ]’ below (“of King Antiochos”); mare standing left, reverting her head and nuzzling her foal to suckle; partially visible control in left field | |
| Die axis: | 0º | |
| References: | Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 1270; Newell, ESM, 624 | |
| Notes: | (1) | The reverse shows a touching scene when a newborn foal is suckling as directed by its mother. A mother mare nudge her foal to her breast when the foal can stand on its feet, usually within 20 minutes post-partum. |
| (2) | Coins of this type were struck in four denominations (octuple, quadruple, double and single units), see Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 1268-1271, and Newell, ESM, 622-625. The design of these denominations is the same inclusive of the control mark, they differ only in weight and size. | |
1 A city in northwestern Mesopotamia (now Urfa in southeastern Turkey).
2 The omphalos (“navel” in Greek) was a sacred stone at Delphi. It was supposed to mark the center of the earth. Similar stones were erected in several areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.
Pausanias, Description of Greece, 10.16.3: What is called the Omphalus by the Delphians is made of white marble, and is said by the Delphians to be the center of all the earth.
3 According to Newell (ESM, p. 145), on the majority of the known specimens, the flower is practically identical in form with the well-known badge of Rhodes. He nevertheless notes that the symbol may have represented not a rose, but a lily.
4 Antioch was founded about 300 BC by Seleukos I Nikator, the founder of the Seleukid Dynasty, and it became the principal capital of the Seleukid Empire. The city was named after a family name Antiochos, passed from his father to his son (Antiochos I Soter). There were a number of other cities by the same name and this Antioch was known as Antioch on the Orontes (i.e. the Orontes River, along which it was located).
5 The capital of Media.
Strabo, Geography, 11.13.1: Media is divided into two parts. One part of it is called Greater Media, of which the metropolis is Ecbatana (Ekbatana), a large city containing the royal residence of the Median empire (the Parthians continue to use this as a royal residence even now, and their kings spend at least their summers there, for Media is a cold country; but their winter residence is at Seleuceia, on the Tigris (Seleukeia on the Tigris) near Babylon).
Strabo, Geography, 11.13.5: ... and Ecbatana (Ekbatana) was winter residence (an error of the copyist for “summer residence” or “royal residence”) for the Persian kings, and likewise for the Macedonians (i.e., for Seleukid kings) who, after overthrowing the Persians, occupied Syria; and still today it affords the kings of the Parthians the same advantages and security.
References:
- Classical Numismatic Group, Inc.:Catalogue of the auction Triton X (in conjunction with the 35th Annual New York International Numismatic Convention), January 9-10, 2007.
- Gardner, Percy:Catalogue of the Greek coins in the British Museum, Volume 4: The Seleucid Kings of Syria. London, 1878 (reprint, Arnaldo Forni, Bologna, 1963). (abbr. BMC 4)
- Houghton, Arthur:Coins of the Seleucid Empire from the Collection of Arthur Houghton. The American Numismatic Society, New York, 1983. (abbr. CSE)
- Houghton, Arthur; Lorber, Catharine:Seleucid Coins, A Comprehensive Catalogue. Part I, Volumes 1 and 2. The American Numismatic Society, New York, in association with Classical Numismatic Group, Inc., Lancaster/London, 2002. (abbr. SC I)
- Houghton, Arthur; Spaer, Arnold (with the assistance of Catharine Lorber):Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum. Israel I. The Arnold Spaer Collection of Seleucid Coins. Italo Vecchi Ltd., London, 1998. (abbr. SNG Spaer)
- MacDonald, George:Catalogue of Greek Coins in the Hunterian Collection, University of Glasgow. Volume 3. Further Asia, Northern Africa, Western Europe. Elibron Classics, Adamant Media Corporation, 2003. Replica edition of the edition published by James Maclehose and Sons, Glasgow, 1905. (abbr. Hunterian Coll. III)
- Newell, Edward T.:The Coinage of the Eastern Seleucid Mints from Seleucus I to Antiochus III. Numismatic Studies No. 1. The American Numismatic Society, New York, 1978 (reprint of the 1938 original edition with a summary of recent scholarship, additions and corrections by Otto Mørkholm). (abbr. ESM)
- Newell, Edward T.:The Coinage of the Western Seleucid Mints from Seleucus I to Antiochus III. Numismatic Studies No. 4. The American Numismatic Society, New York, 1977 (reprint of the 1941 original edition with a summary of recent scholarship by Otto Mørkholm). (abbr. WSM)
- Pausanias:Description of Greece. Translated by W. H. S. Jones and H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, 1918. (The Perseus Digital Library, http://www.perseus.org/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Paus.+toc)
- Strabo:Geography. Translated and ed. by H. C. Hamilton and W. Falconer. William Heinemann, Ltd., London, 1924. (The Perseus Digital Library, http://www.perseus.org/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Strab.+toc)